Syngenta Canada launched new fungicide for Sclerotinia-fighting canola

Syngenta Crop Protection Canada has picked up approval for one of its combination fungicides to prevent and treat stem rot in canola due to sclerotinia.

The now-registered product, to be available for the 2010 growing season under the name Astound, combines the Group 12 and 9 fungicides fludioxonil and cyprodinil, to inhibit spore germination on canola plants and prevent disease penetration into plant tissues.

Fludioxinil is an active in Syngentas seed treatments Apron Maxx RTA, Maxim and Cruiser Maxx Beans and its turf fungicide Instrata. Both cyprodinil and fludioxonil are also actives in the companys fungicide Switch 62.5 WG, for use in carrots, onions, cabbage and some berry crops.

Astound may also be tank mixed with Syngentas broad-spectrum Matador 120EC insecticide for foliar disease and insect control, the company said.
"With sclerotinia, prevention is better than cure," said Fernando Olea, Syngentas Canadian brand manager for fungicides and insecticides, in a release Wednesday. "Once producers see visible symptoms of the disease in their canola crop, the damage has been done and yield loss will inevitably occur -- usually to the tune of one half of the infected plants in the field.

"In practical terms this means that if 10 per cent of a canola field is infected with sclerotinia, yield loss will be approximately five per cent."

Syngenta cited farmer-run field trials during 2009, in which it said Astound was "highly effective" in preventing infection as well as controlling the spread of the disease.

"Yields using Astound were on average up to three per cent higher than currently registered products, with yield advantages of more than seven per cent recorded," the company said. "Field trials showed optimum application timing to be between 20 to 50 per cent bloom and before any visible signs of infection."

The company also urged growers to consider other best management practices against sclerotinia, such as avoiding tight crop rotations, adopting no-till, and not exceeding the recommended rate when seeding canola.